Radiator



April/5,l 192s. 1,665,052

l ,l 'l W. H. CADWELL 'f' RADIATOR VALVE y Filled sept. 13. 192e 'i 1 MM45/' i 1 '12 43 a 44 l* "5^ 3l f L 4,2 99 l 30 412 INVENTOR a M WM #Ml/#aff 32 I l J0 33" ATTO EY Cil Patented Apr. `3, 1928.

UNITED STATES WILLIAMH. CALDWELL, OIE NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT.

RADIATOR VALVE.

Application filed September 13, 1926. `Serial No. 135,026.

This invention relates to air valves, and more particularly to a therinostatic radiator `valve for steam, vapor, or hot water `radiators.` l .j

One object oit this invention is to provide a radiator valve of the above nature whichA will automatically close atter the air has escaped 'from the radiator.,

A further object is to provide a radiator valve or' the above nature having an adjustableliead adapted to be soldered in adjusted position in the valve casing, and also having' a resilient U-shaped member for supporting a tlierniostatic valive-closing` n'iember.

A `further object is to provide a device oit `theabove nature which will be simple `in the radiatorV valve.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the U- shaped spring support .tor the thermostatic member. l

Referringi new to the drawings in which like reference nun'ierals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, the `numeral. lO indicates the outer shell. ot the `valve casing, said shell havinga cylindrical open bottom section Iand a cylindrical upper section 11 connected with the bottoni section by a conical section `1Q. The upper portion oi the shell 10 terminates in a spherical dome section 13, said dome section having;` a downwardly extending central collar lli for receiving an adjustable `plurgr 15.

The adjustable plug` l5 is provided on its upper end with a mushroom head 16 and has a tubular depending` stem 17 `threaded on its exterior to engage corresponding` interior threads on the collar 14. The interior bore of the stem 17 is enlarged at its lower end 18 and the upper part oi' said enlarged section has a conical shoulder 19 which serves as a seat for the valve needle to be hereinafter described. The top 20 ot the bore is reduced in diameter and has a downwardly inclined outlet passage or vent 21 communicating with the outer atmosphere. The outlet passage 2l is located directly under the rim ott the mushroom head 1G and is adapted to be projected by saidv mushroom head against clotgfgiiigi` up with dust. rlChe passage 21 is also hidden from view by the mushroom head, thus reduciin;v the likelihood ot unauthorized tampering.

In assemblingl the radiator valve, t-he adj ustable plug l5 will. firstbe screwed into the collar 14 to the desired adjusted position, and will be held in said position by an annular ring solder 22 which may be placed at the junction ot' the collar 11i and the plug` l5. j

In order to cause the valve to close when the airhas been expelled `trom the radiator, provision made ot a hollow thermostatic member or chamber 23 which is located withinthe shell 10. The thermostatic chamber 9.3 has a fiat base 2li soldered or otherwise securedto a. lower cylindrical section 25, said section 25 beingl connected by a conical section 26 to an upper cylindrical section 27.

Mounted upon the top of the thermostatie chamber 23 is a valve needle 28 having a point 29 which is adapted to seat in the shoulder` 19 ot the plugl 15. The thermostatic chamber 23 is preferably lilled with a suitable vapor, such as alcohol or ether, which will develop a high pressure when heated by the steam, vapor, or hot water which will he present in the valve aiter the air has been expelled, and as will be evident, the expansionl oi the chamber Q9 will cause the radiator valve to close.`

rlhe bottom cylindrical. section ot the` shell 10 is threaded on its exterior and is adapted to receive a soclretflll, said socket having' a cylindrical upper portion 3l and a liat base 32. The base 32 has a scmi-cyliiulrical horizont-al depression 33 which :terms a support for a curved drain tube 34;. rifhe drain tube Bil is adapted to extend out ot the valve cas- LUG d tor into'the valve. lt Will be understood that the curved pipe 34C Will serve to drain any Water which may accumulate in the botv tom ot, the valve casing, back into the radiator. f

In order to form a resilient supportfor the bottom of the thermostatic chamber 23,

a. substantially U-shaped spring member 39A is provided, as most clearly shown in Fig. 3. The member v39 1s preferably made from hardened spring brass, and is provided with a Apair of horizontal. feet l0 .which are adapted to rest upon the base' 320i the socket member in suchl 4a position as to straddle the inlet tube and the drain tube l. The upper portion of the lJ-shaped member 39 is providedivith a pair of downwardly diverging faces ftl- Which are connected to the 'feet 40 by curved sections 42. ln order to provide a point contact for' the resilient base 2li `of the thermostatic chamber 23, the upper portion ot the U-'shaped spring` member '39 .isikp'rovided with an upwardly extending ,pro-Y tuberance' 43, preferably formed by punching up' the metal thereof. l l

'ln the operation ot the air valve, When steam or hot fluid is admitted to theradiator, any'` air which may have collected in thev top thereof Will be Gradually forced out through the valve untilthe rising steam or fluid itself enters the valve and su 1rounds the therinostatic chamber 23. The chamber 23 Will'thenI be heated and will expandforcing the valve stem 28 upwardly and thereby *closing the airvent 2l.

One advantage ot the use Vot the resilient U-shapedspringv member 39 isthat. in the event ot anunusual high pressure occurring in the valve, the danger of the thermostatic chamber i being injured will largely avoided. y

l lli/while there has been disclosed in this specication `one torm vin which the invention may be en'ibodied, it is to bennderstood that this form is shown 'tor the 'purpose ot' illusvalve, vand forming a seat tor a valve-closing .membeig saidV plug having a laterally eX- tending passage communicating with the outer atmosphere, andmeans on said plug tor protecting the outer end ot said passage trom dust or injury.

2. lin outlet :plug tor the top oit a radiator Aair valve, said plugv having a solid head and a depending tubular stem, said stem having au a)erture"forming an outlet for the escape otl air, said stem also having; a seat- .:tor a valve-closing member, the head ot said plug serving to protect said outlet from dust `or injury' and to deflect escaping gases.

3. In a radiator air valve, a base adapted to be connected to a radiator, a shell member havinjbr an inlet and an outlet` a thermostatic validi-closing member adapted to shut said Aout-let when the air has been expelled from said vulve, a drain tube extending through said inlet above said buse. and a resilient'. U-shaped supporton said base tor saidv valve-closing` member, said support straddlingsaid drain tube.

il. In a radiator air valve` a base adapted to be connect-ed to a radiator, a shell member havingl an out-let` a thernmstatic valveclosingmember adapted to shut said outlet v vh'en the air has been expelled trom said valve, adrain tubo in the bottom ot said 'valve above said base, and a resilient U- shaped support on said base tor iid valveclosing` member, said support comprisingv a strip ot metal having curved sides and straddling said drain tube.

5. In a radiator air valve, a .base adaptml to be connected to a radiator, a shell member having an inlet and an outlet. a. thermostatie valve-closing` member adapted to shut said outlet when the air has been expelled from 'said valve, a drain tube extcrulinfu,r through said inlet above said base, and a4 resilient U-shapcd support on said base tor said valve-closing member and `stcrznhlling;v said drain tube, said support comprisinga strip ot metal haviimr an arched top with its extremities resting-upon said base, said arched top having an upwardly projeetimr protulberance adapted to vintage the base ol' said thermostatie ulivo-closing member.

G. ln a radiatorl nir valve, a easing;l having an outlet in its top 'for the escape ot air, an inlet tube extendinginto the bottom ot said casingH an cxpansible vapor-holding; hollow cham-ber in said easing., said chamber having means tor closing` said outlety after the air `has been expelled troni said radiator, a U-shaped supporting strip tor said chamber, the legs of said strip straddling said inlet tube and being' adapted to rest upon the base ot said casing.

In testimonyv whereof, I have affixed in v signature to this specification.

VILLIAM H. CADVVELL. 

